Baik was involved in South Korea’s democracy movement against its military dictatorship in the 1980–90s and was incarcerated twice. Amnesty International later designated him as a prisoner of conscience.

Born in South Korea, Baik graduated from Seoul National University College of Law and earned his master and doctoral degrees in international human rights law from Notre Dame Law School in Indiana.

He worked for Human Rights Watch as a research consultant with a focus on human rights problems in both North and South Korea. He also served as a legal adviser on the South Korean delegation to the 56th United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, is a member of the U.N. Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and was appointed a U.N. independent expert representing the Asia-Pacific region.